Gospel: February 25, 2026
February 25, 2026 (Wednesday)
1st Week of Lent
Psalter: Week 1 (Violet)
Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
1st Reading: Jonah 3:1-10
Gospel: Luke 11:29-32
As the crowd increased, Jesus spoke the following words: “People of the present time are troubled people. They ask
for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah. As Jonah became a sign for the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be a sign for this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and here, there is greater than Solomon. The people of Nineveh will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for Jonah’s preaching made them turn from their sins, and here, there is greater than Jonah.
Reflection:
The sign of Jonah
One of the lines that struck me most from the movie “Conclave” was from the homily of Cardinal Lawrence, which states, “If there were only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery. And therefore, no need for faith.” Jesus’ rejection of the demand for a sign resonates with the same message—faith. In today’s Gospel, the demand for a sign is a concrete testament to the lack of faith stemming from disobedience to God’s word as Jesus preached it. The reference to the prophet Jonah was Jesus’ way of convincing them, hoping they would welcome Him—the “Word made flesh.” The sign of Jonah in the Old Testament was the proclamation of God’s word, which saved Nineveh when they obeyed it. In today’s Gospel, Jesus presents Himself as the proclaimed word, whose wisdom surpasses even Solomon’s, yet the people reject him. Obedience is a key virtue in our Christian faith. To obey is to listen attentively and respond appropriately. In this Lenten season, let us welcome Jesus as we listen more closely to Him and read the scripture daily with a humble heart.
